Uptight Levy Could Signal Bills' Demise

Notebook -

TAMPA, FLA. — It didn't seem like such a big deal earlier this week when quarterback Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills said, ``We feel like only we can stop us.''

Kelly, of course, meant that only mistakes or a lack of concentration could prevent the high-flying Bills from beating the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV. It was a throwaway line, one of the oldest cliches in sports.

But as Super Week rolled on, the quote began to take on added significance. Maybe, just maybe, the Bills could beat themselves before they took the field this Sunday. More to the point, maybe Coach Marv Levy could drain the competitive spirit from his team, break their concentration, and psyche them into defeat.

Sports editor Larry Felser of the Buffalo Evening News, a veteran Bills' watcher who is among a dozen or so journalists who have covered all 25 Super Bowls, believes Levy is following in the foosteps of such former coaches as Bud Grant of Minnesota and the late George Allen of Washington.

Like Grant and Allen, who combined for an 0-5 record in Super Bowls, Felser believes Levy is too concerned with the distractions of Super Week. Felser believes Levy is too uptight, which, in turn, could turn the Bills into an uptight team on Sunday.

Levy created a distraction Monday night, shortly after they arrived, by complaining about accommodations at the Tampa Airport Holiday Inn and getting the NFL to switch them to the Airport Hilton. This created a week-long distraction as the team had to be bussed to the Holiday Inn for the daily press gatherings.

The next day, he worked on his game plans rather than attend a mandatory press conference and is certain to be fined by the league after the game.

Felser's message to Levy is, ``Lighten up and enjoy it before it's too late.''

* NO BIG SPLASH

Sources say owner Hugh Culverhouse of the Tampa Bay Bucs was considering pulling a public relations coup this week by naming a new coach while approximately 2,500 of the nation's media was in town. It's believed he was going to offer the job to Los Angeles Raiders' assistant Mike White. But two things happened. Supposedly, the NFL office asked him not to take advantage of the situation, to wait until after the game to make the announcement. Then it became academic when the Giants made the Super Bowl. Coach Bill Parcells of the Giants, who said back in September that he would consider retiring if the Giants reached the Super Bowl, is suddenly back in the picture. Culverhouse is reportedly considering offering Parcells a package worth in excess of $1 million per year to be coach and general manager of the Bucs. Giants' watchers said Parcells has often talked about getting into the management end of it.

* IT HASN'T CHANGED

Joe Collier, who entered professional football as coach of the Boston Patriots in 1960, will return to the Patriots this season as an assistant coach. Shortly after signing on, Collier talked about how things had changed over the years 1960. He remembered that the team had just one staff car in 1960. ``It was a red, white and blue thing with Boston Patriots painted on the side,'' he said. ``After a game that we lost, we'd be driving down the street and people would boo us.'' Well, maybe things haven't changed that much.

* RUN AND ... RUN?

Detroit, the NFL's first pure run-and-shoot team, may take a different offensive look this season now that quarterback coach June Jones has left to be offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons. Coach Wayne Fontes said he wants to get away from running the four-wide receiver attack on a full time basis. He wants to incorporate a tight end and a blocking back into the offense to take advantage of tailback Barry Sanders, the best running back in the league. Such a move could also force the departure of offensive coordinator Mouse Davis, the father of the run-and-shoot.